Tom Brady Is Absent from the 2020 Pro Bowl Roster for the First Time in Over a Decade
One of America’s best known NFL players won’t be in the AFC–NFC Pro Bowl this year.
On Tuesday, the National Football League announced the initial rosters for the 2020 all-star game, and many were surprised to find that New England Patriots star Tom Brady did not make the cut.
This marks the first time in over a decade that the quarterback was not selected to play in the game.
The last time Brady wasn’t selected for the match was in 2008 when he had to miss nearly the entire NFL season after he tore his ACL in the Patriots’ season opener. Prior to that, he was passed up in 2006, according to CBS Sports.
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The rosters are usually selected by a combination of player, fan, and coach voting, with each group’s vote counting as one-third of the final total.
CBS reports that the lists will most likely go through some revisions as players might withdraw and Super Bowl-bound players will have to skip the event — which means Brady may still have a chance to make the final roster.
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While the 42-year-old did not make the initial cut, three other Patriots players were slated for the AFC roster. Cornerback Stephon Gilmore, linebacker Dont’a Hightower and special teams captain Matthew Slater will all be at the all-star face-off.
Lamar Jackson from the Baltimore Ravens was voted as the starting quarterback for the AFC, followed by Patrick Mahomes of the Kansas City Chiefs, and Houston Texans’ Deshaun Watson.
The NFC will be led by Russell Wilson of the Seattle Seahawks, who is backed by Drew Brees from the New Orleans Saints, and Green Bay Packers’ Aaron Rodgers.
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The Ravens secured the most spots on AFC’s roster with 12 players selected to play in the Pro Bowl. Meanwhile, seven players from New Orleans were selected for the NFC’s team.
The 2020 Pro Bowl will be played on Jan. 26 at 3 p.m. EST at Camping World Stadium in Orlando, Florida — one week before the Super Bowl LIV.
